NE Chapters of NAACP Back Legalization of Marijuana in RI

The New England Area Conference of the NAACP, comprising chapters in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, is supporting legislation to legalize marijuana here and regulate it like alcohol.

In explaining its stance, the groups cites a half-dozen reasons, including "an alarming racial disparity" in marijuana arrests in RI and across the US. It says marijuana arrests have failed to discourage use while having adverse long-term consequences for low-level, non-violent offenders. The NAACP also says it believes the war on drugs has failed and should be replaced with a public health-oriented approach that emphasizes reducing drug use.